Kaulbach, The King’s Own, as Staff Adjutant, taking over the Musketry instruction of the College.

Captain K. Blair, Royal Artillery, and Lieut. E. F. Dawson, Royal Engineers, have been succeeded by Captain M. V. Plummer, Royal Artillery, and Lieut. F. A. Heymann, Royal Engineers, as Instructors in Military Subjects.

Major H.R. Hopwood, 33rd Queen’s Own Light Cavalry-, has been attached to the General Staff Branch of the College, in succession to Captain A.F.C. Williams, 31st Duke of Connaught’s Own Lancers, for instructional work.

OFFICERS’ COURSES.

The Staff College course, consisting of four candidates, joined at the beginning of January and their examination commences next week. The candidate prepared at the College last year was successful and is now at Camberley.

The Refresher course joined with the Staff College course and remained here for three months; six senior officers of the Permanent Force attended. Having regard to the value of the course to these officers and the amount of work there is to be done, I urge strongly that they should join at the beginning of November in future, extending the course to five months. The work which they do is for the most part entirely new to them. I am of opinion that every officer of the Permanent Force should undergo this course, and we shall probably be able to take a similar number each year.

The Long Courses of three months each, in the autumn and spring, were attended by eight and five candidates, respectively, all of whom qualified.

The practical portion of the Militia Staff course was attended by sixteen officers in August last, fourteen of whom qualified.

RIDING ESTABLISHMENT.

We now have our full complement of horses in the Riding Establishment. The result is that from the time of joining the College the Cadet receives instruction in riding and horse-mastership. We shall not, however, derive full benefit until a covered Riding School is provided. The regular course of instruction cannot be carried on during the winter months in the open, and consequently much valuable time is lost.

STRENGTH.

The number of cadets when the College opened last August was 118. During the year two cadets have been withdrawn at the request of their parents.

DISCIPLINE.

The conduct and discipline of the cadets has been very good. One cadet has been rusticated for irregular conduct at an examination. Seven cadets were rusticated for a month at the commencement of the year for misbehaviour on the night of the closing last year.

EXAMINATIONS.

The results of the examinations are satisfactory, on the whole. Of thirty-one cadets in the senior class, twenty-seven have qualified for Diplomas.

In the 2nd Class, one cadet has failed, and in the 3rd Class, five. These gentlemen will need to repeat the years course.

MUSKETKY.

Our rifle shooting has continued to improve. The miniature ranges, which we now have had for two years, enable us to carry on instruction and practice during the cold weather with most satisfactory results.

During the past twelve months our Musketry record is as follows:—

………….Marksmen. 1st Class. 2nd Class. 3rd Class.

Senior Class…4………..8…………11………..8

2nd year……..11……….9…………11…………9

1st year………17………17…………11..(2 not classified)

Figure of merit—

Senior Class…………131.

2nd year……………..135.

In the “Daily Mail” Cup, fired last year, the E.M.C. was 57th in the Empire and 3rd in Canada.

We were 3rd in the 2nd series of the Canadian Rifle League competition, and 5th in the Gallery Miniature Rifle competition.

A scratch Royal Military College Tyro team won the Osier Challenge Cup at the meeting of the Ontario Rifle Association. For the first time the College won the match against Sandhurst on the 24th May.

Royal Military College Gym, Gymnastics, 1899.

SPORTS.

We have been very fortunate this year in our outdoor games. We hold the Intermediate Dominion Championship, the Intermediate and the Junior Intercollegiat Rugby Union Championships, the Intermediate Intercollegiate Hockey Championship, the Intercollegiate Lawn Tennis Championship, and won every match but one during our week’s cricket tour.

ACCOMMODATION.

I am glad to say that the new dormitory building is in process of erection and the repairs to the wharves and boathouse are nearly completed. It is hoped that the new model and gun sheds, for which the money has been voted, will shortly be taken in hand.

Officers’ Quarters are urgently required. Too much of the time of members of the staff is wasted in going backwards and forwards to Kingston. The advantages of having them quartered at the Collage are obvious.

It is also very desirable that officers attending courses, Staff College Refresher, Long, &c., should be provided with quarters on the spot.

Quarters are also required for the subordinate staff (assistant Instructors).

The extension of the educational buildings is a matter for the immediate future. We suffer from the want of a library, suitable draughting room, laboratory, dining accommodation, general lecture room, &c.

The covered riding school, to which I have previously referred, is urgently required. A covered skating rink is also badly needed.

COMMISSIONS.

Applications for commissions in the Active Militia for those gentlemen of the graduating class who are not candidates for commissions in the Imperial Army and Permanent Force have already been made.

The following gentlemen will be recommended for commissions in the Imperial Army and Canadian Permanent Force:—

The Chief of the General Staff was unavoidably prevented from attending. For two days the Board made careful inspection of the buildings and the grounds and instituted inquiries into the various departments of the institution, and beg to submit the following report:—

INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF.

Captain H. A. Kaulbach, The King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, vacated the appointment of Stall Adjutant and has been succeeded by Major C. X. Perreau, Royal Dublin Fusiliers.

Captain W. K. P. Blair, Royal Field Artillery, has been replaced by Lieutenant M. V. Plummer, Royal Field Artillery, as Assistant Instructor in Military Subjects, and Lieutenant Heyman, Royal Engineers, at the beginning of the year, took over the duties of Assistant Instructor in Surveying and Signalling, in place of Lieutenant E. F. Dawson, Royal Engineers.

The candidate for the Staff College, who was prepared at the Royal Military College in 1911, passed successfully and is now at Camberley. Four candidates for the next course at the Staff College have been under instruction at the Royal Military College since January.

Eight officers of the Permanent Force also underwent a “Refresher” course of three months.

It is absolutely essential that Major Robertson, who is now General Staff Officer, 5th Division, should be replaced at once by another General Staff Officer, 2nd Grade, and that another Royal Field Artillery Officer be appointed Assistant Instructor in Tactics, Artillery, Topography, &c. The establishment of General Staff Officers provides for two, but at present there is only one, which is altogether inadequate for the important and extensive work he has to do. Even with the services of Major Hopwood, of the Indian Army, which have been placed at the disposal of the College, the number of General Staff Officers is insufficient. It should be borne in mind that, beginning next November, still further extra work will be placed on the College staff, as all officers undergoing a “Long” course, which will last seven months, will take it at the Royal Military College.

An Assistant Professor in French, as, also, another in Mathematics, are also badly needed, for both these professors have to instruct the Staff College Officers in addition to their ordinary cadet work.

The fact, too, that the number of cadets has largely increased must not be lost sight of. From all the above facts, it is obvious that the College is at present under-staffed, both in officers and civil professors. The Board, therefore, strongly urge that the Staff be increased before next terra, so as to enable it to be in a position to properly cope with the increasing demands upon it. In this connection, the Board consider it advisable to invite the attention of the proper authorities to the fact that at West Point there is an instructional staff of 106 for about 500 cadets, apart from the “Military Staff ” of the institution. The result of this is that the ordinary classes do not consist of more than about 10 cadets, who are thereby enabled to receive individual instruction. Under the present inadequate staff at the Royal Military College, the classes have to average 40. The disadvantage to these cadets, as well as to their professors, as compared with West Point, cannot be too strongly pointed out.

SUBORDINATE STAFF.

The Board recommend that local warrant rank be given Staff Sergeant Harvey, Corps of Military Staff Clerks, and Quartermaster Sergeant Yokes. The former replaced Lieutenant Hennessy and is acting as Quartermaster and Paymaster. Quartermaster Sergeant Yokes is Foreman of Works and Assistant Instructor in Military Engineering. Both these non-commissioned officers are very favourably reported upon by the Commandant and their services merit recognition.

ATTENDANCE.

The number of cadets upon the roll this year is the largest in the history of the College. One hundred and eighteen cadets joined at the commencement of the term, of these two have since been granted their discharge at the request of their parents.

ENTRANCE EXAMINATIONS.

Sixty-five candidates entered for the Entrance Examinations which were held 13th -18th May. The syllabus for these examinations was the same as last year, including a paper on “General Knowledge”.

SYLLABUS OF INSTRUCTION’ AT THE COLLEGE.

The time devoted to the study of Tactics was increased during the year. Military History was also taken up, and a course of lectures given to the 2nd Class on Waterloo and Jackson’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign. A further course of Military History lectures was given to the Senior Class.

The Commandant has again suggested that an alternative course be given in the third year to cadets who do not propose to enter the engineering profession, civil or military. As a matter of fact, the number of cadets who enter nowadays to take up Civil Engineering as a profession is well below 50 per cent., yet 400 hours of the time of the graduating class during their final year is allotted to it, while 384 hours in addition are devoted to Military Engineering in that year. Such an alternative course would enable those cadets who intended taking up the profession of Civil Engineers to go much further into the subject, while those who did not so propose would get a more thorough grounding in languages and military subjects.

COURSE OF STUDIES.

The Royal Military College, Report 1912.

The Board suggest that, if possible, more English should be taught and Political History introduced. They also recommend that the present system of having outside examiners for the non-military subjects be abolished.

WAR GAME.

A series of inter-company war games was played during the year, in addition to exercises with officers’ courses.

COMMISSIONS.

Twelve of last year’s graduates received commissions in the Imperial Army and Permanent Force, while the remainder are being appointed to the non-permanent Militia, as vacancies occur in units in the district in which the graduate lives.

PERSONNEL.

The cadets were seen at Battalion and Company Drill under their own non-commissioned officers, and they presented a very creditable appearance. They were steady in the ranks, the “March Past” was very well done and all the movements were carried out with precision. Some 48 cadets also gave a remarkably good display of “free gymnastics” and “vaulting the horse”. The general physique of the cadets is good. The following table shows the average increase in measurements of the cadets at the date of the Board’s visit:—

The Royal Military College, Report 1912.

Owing to the non-construction of a covered riding school, as recommended by last year’s Board, it is imposable to carry on a systematic course of instruction in equitation. From December till well into April, i.e., for the greater part of the College year, the instruction in riding is carried on under great difficulties out of doors on frozen ground or ice and the thermometer below zero, and the course must necessarily be delayed in consequence. The site exists and the Board repeat their strong recommendation that a covered riding school be constructed before the fall. The Board, also, recommend that two more remounts be purchased to bring the total up to twenty-two. The stables and the grooms’ quarters were found clean and in good order.

DISCIPLINE.

The Commandant report that, with one exception, the discipline of the cadets had been all that could be desired. This instance was more of a practical joke than anything else.

MESSING.

The messing arrangements carried out by the Canadian Permanent Army Service Corps continued to give every satisfaction. Some of the meals were sampled by the Board and found to be of good quality and well cooked.

CLOTHING.

Khaki has been introduced and will in time take the place of the blue undress. All the cadets interviewed by the Board stated it was not popular. The Board are of opinion that the blue serge should be retained in addition to the khaki. It is more distinctive and attractive, especially when the cadets are visiting other cities, or when outside the enclosure, when it is not compulsory to wear tunics.

MUSKETRY.

The Miniature Range under the gymnasium has been considerably improved, and very good work was done on it during the winter months. With the addition of a “Solano” target, this range will be complete. Work having been commenced on the new dormitory building, the old rifle range has had to be closed. A new range should, if possible, be built in the College grounds. Proposals and estimates for one along the shore of the Cataraqui have been prepared.

The Royal Military College, Report 1912.

The Recruit Class of 47 members fired a complete recruits’ course on the Miniature Range, 14 of whom have been classified as marksmen.

The College Team was placed 57th in the “Empire” match and third in Canada, with a score of 768, as compared with 725 the previous year. It also, took third place in the 2nd series of the Canadian Rifle League Competition and fifth place in the Miniature Rifle Competition.

A scratch College Tyro team won the Osler Challenge Cup for best aggregate at the Ontario Rifle Association Meeting.

RECREATION.

The Board desire to record their disappointment at the non-erection of a covered skating-rink and drill-hall, for which, it is understood, provision was made in the 1911-12 estimates.

The boat-houses and wharves are being reconstructed. The Board again recommended that a special grant be given for the purchase of suitable rowboats; at present there are none at the College. The older lugger is still afloat and no more. In athletic competitions the R.M.C. was very successful during the year. It won the Intermediate and Junior Championships and the Intermediate Dominion Championship at Football, the Intermediate Championship at Hockey, the Intercollegiate Championship at Lawn Tennis, and also won all the Cricket Matches but one played on tour. The Board recommend that new Billiard Tables be procured; those in use are completely worn out. The location of the present billiard room in the basement is unsuitable. The want of a proper library and reading room is still most marked.

HEALTH AND SANITATION.

The health of the cadets at the date of the Board’s visit was found to be very satisfactory. With the exception of two cases of measles, and three of mumps, there were no infectious diseases during the year. The ventilation of the classrooms during the winter months requires attention. The classes are much larger than they used to be, and the class-rooms, unless properly ventilated, must be unhealthy. The pumping, filtration and sterilizing plants continue to give satisfaction. The sanitary arrangements and bath-rooms appear to be adequate and good. The sewage system, however, requires to be renewed.

Canada’s Royal Military College. C 1910.

HOSPITAL.

The hospital was found in a satisfactory condition and very clean.

WORKSHOP.

The workshop was found in good order.

KITCHENS.

The kitchens and pantries in the main building, hospital and grooms’ quarters were clean, tidy and well kept. If more modern ranges were installed in the main kitchen, it would be an improvement.

LIBRARY.

The Board repeat their recommendation of last year that the library be enlarged and a map-room be provided. As it is at present, it is far from being satisfactory.

LABORATORY.

The laboratory in the top story of the main building requires to be enlarged. It is so restricted that practical experiments can only be done by the professors and not by the cadets. There was also an apparent shortage of textbooks on Civil Engineering, Chemistry and Physics. Uncertainty exists as to who should requisition for them.

OFFICES.

The several offices were visited and found tidy and in good order. The books of the Acting Paymaster and Quartermaster were examined and all found to be satisfactory.

LANDS AND GROUNDS.

The grounds and tennis court were in good order and clean, but those near the new stables and groomed quarters still require to be levelled and graded. This was pointed out by the Board last year. The old wooden sidewalks within the inner enclosure have been replaced by concrete ones and are a decided improvement. Those in the outer enclosure still remain to be done.

HOLIDAYS.

The holidays remain the same as in previous years, viz., a little over two months in summer, two weeks at Christmas and four days at Easter.

GUN SHED.

The Board were pleased to learn that the unsightly old gun shed was soon to be demolished and replaced by a modem one, which will also be used as a model shed.

GUN PRACTICE.

The Board again suggest that the cadets of the 1st Class attend Petawawa Camp for gun practice towards the end of August when the Permanent Force are in Camp.

ACCOMMODATION.

The necessity for immediate increased accommodation in the Educational Building cannot be too strongly urged. With the increase in the number of cadets, officers undergoing courses, etc., more class room is required. The dining-room, also, is now much too small for the present requirements; it is so much so, that the staff and officers on course have to take their meals in one of the recreation rooms. As pointed out by last year’s Board of Visitors, a draughting-room, a library, laboratory and general lecture-room, are also very urgently required, and the present Board strongly recommend that they be provided in the new Educational Block, the construction of which cannot be started any too soon if the College is to be put in condition to meet the increased and ever increasing demands upon it. For the third year in succession, the Board desire to again urgently press the necessity for accommodation within the College grounds for the Instructional Staff and for the officers attending the Staff College and Long Courses. Under present conditions, much valuable time is spent in going to and from Kingston, and the advantages of having all the professors and students resident within the College domain are so apparent that it is confidently hoped that provision will be made in the estimates at a very early date for the construction of suitable quarters.

PAY AND PENSIONS.

The Commandant has many claims upon him as such and the Board strongly recommend that he be given an entertaining allowance.

The necessity for an early decision as to the pay and pension or retiring gratuity of the members of the Civil Staff cannot be too forcibly brought forward. As regards their pay, the Board beg to repeat the recommendation made in 1909, which was as follows:—

First Grade:—$2,800 to $3,500 per annum—Professors of Mathematics, Mechanics and Astronomy; Civil Engineering and Architecture; Physics and Chemistry.

Second Grade:—$2,000 to $2,.500 per annum—Professors of French and English.

Third Grade:—$l,000 to $2,000—Assistant Professors: Instructors in Mathematics, Chemistry and Civil Engineering.

The Salaries to advance, with the approval of the Commandant, by yearly increases of $100 until the maximum is reached.

As regards pensions for the Civil Staff, the Board strongly urge that steps be taken to provide some fixed gratuity or retiring allowance. The Professor of Civil Engineering, who is now in his 60th year and who has had a long service at the College, enquired as to the conditions under which he might retire, but the Board were not aware that any provision had been made to meet such cases. They therefore, recommend as follows:—

Retirements.

A member of the superior staff of the Royal Military College, not otherwise provided for, may be retired to promote the efficiency of the staff, under the following conditions:—

(a) If he has reached the age of fifty years, and the duration of his service has been 10 years or more, he shall receive an annuity, for life, of fifty per cent, of the annual salary which he was enjoying at the time of his retirement, with an additional two per cent, of such salary for each year’s service over and above ten, but the maximum annuity, shall not exceed seventy per cent, of the salary at time of retirement.

(b) If he is under fifty years of age on retirement, with at least ten years’ service, he shall receive an annuity—as before described—less two per cent, of salary for each year he is under fifty.

(c) If the duration of his service has been less than ten years, he shall receive for each year’s service a gratuity of one-tenth of his annual salary at the time of retirement.

(d) In case of voluntary retirement, with the approval of the Government, the gratuity will be as previously stated herein, but the annuity will be subject to a reduction of 20 per cent, if the retiring member of the staff has not reached the age of fifty.

(e) The widow of a member of the staff, to whom she has been married at least ten years before his retirement, shall receive one-half of the allowances which would have gone to her husband if he had retired at the time of his death or which he was enjoying at that time.

(f) Annuities shall be paid in monthly instalments clear of all taxes and deductions, whatsoever, imposed under any Act of Parliament of Canada.

The Board further recommend that the Pension Act of 1901 be so amended as to provide that the time spent by a cadet at the College shall count towards pension, should he become an officer of the permanent staff or force of Canada. At present, time in the Civil Service is allowed to count, as, also, half the time served in a non-permanent unit. This appears to the Board to be somewhat inconsistent, as, in the latter case, twelve days’ drill in the year entitles an officer to count six months towards pension, whereas the three years spent at the College do not count at all.

VISITORS.

At the end of 1911, Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Connaught paid a visit to the College, when the latter presented Gentleman Cadet J. O. Leach with the Royal Canadian Humane Society’s Medal for saving life in the Georgian Bay.

Major Holman. D.S.O., of the Commonwealth of Australia Forces, was attached to the College for one week before Easter.

The Chairman and Members of the Board desire, in conclusion, to express their sincere thanks to the Commandant and Staff for their valuable assistance during their visit.